Bato dela Rosa: We will exhaust all means to prevent arrest, going to ICC

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said Tuesday that they will exhaust all means to prevent his arrest to face the case filed against him before the International Criminal Court in connection with the killings during the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

"We will exhaust all available means, legal means kailangang gawin natin lahat para hindi nila tayo madala doon sa The Hague," Dela Rosa said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

"Sino bang Pilipino na gustong litisin sa ibang bansa?" he added.

He said his camp filed a new manifestation with the Supreme Court (SC) for his immediate judicial protection, and he will wait for the decision.

In a statement Monday, the Law Firm of Torreon and Partners said they filed an urgent manifestation with omnibus motion for guidance on the legal effect of the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"As usual, a-attend ako ng session and wait for the ruling of the Supreme Court sa mga petition na pinadala namin dun," Dela Rosa said.

He added that if ever a lower court issues an arrest warrant against him, his camp will appeal it to the SC.

"I hope and pray (that a temporary restraining order will be issued by the SC and if there is an arrest warrant from a lower court) ang proseso naman ay hindi lang sa lower court nag-a-appeal, puwedeng umakyat sa taas kaya inunahan na namin sa SC. Hintayin natin ang desisyon ng SC," Dela Rosa said.

He further said that he will stay in the Senate.

"Dito lang ako, hindi ako aalis," he said.

He said he stayed at the office of Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

"Mas maganda ang kuwarto niya, mas maraming pagkain," Dela Rosa said but noted that he was not able to eat or sleep much.

"Dalawang subo lang, parang hangin ang laman ng tiyan ko. 'Yung utak mo gumagana kahit na natutulog," he added

Asked where he hid, the senator replied: "Anywhere in the Philippines. Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. Basta I didn't leave the Philippines. mahal ko ang Pilipinas. I will live and die in this country."

Dela Rosa also said he did not claim all his salaries while he was hiding.

"Nahihiya na ako sa taumbayan na naghahanap sa akin kahit na hindi ko kini-claim ang sweldo ko. I have to show up. Na-claim ng staff ko pero hindi ko nakuha. Sabi ko sa staff ko gamitin n'yo dyan sa kawang-gawa para umabot sa taumbayan ang pera na 'yan," he said.

He has been absent in the Senate since November 11, 2025, after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that the ICC issued a warrant of arrest against him over the previous administration’s drug war.

Dela Rosa showed up on Monday to attend the Senate session, in which he was among the 13 who voted to unseat Senator Vicente Sotto III as Senate president and put Alan Peter Cayetano in his place.

Members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reportedly tried to serve the arrest warrant against Dela Rosa in the Senate premises, and even chased him as the lawmaker headed for the session hall.

Meanwhile, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV showed the media a copy of the ICC’s arrest warrant against Dela Rosa.

The ICC confirmed that the tribunal issued a warrant of arrest for Dela Rosa, who was PNP chief during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, in connection with the killings under the administration's war on drugs.

Trillanes said a copy of the ICC arrest warrant has been transmitted to the PCTC.

The Senate then placed Dela Rosa under the protective custody of the chamber. Cayetano also said Dela Rosa will not be arrested inside the Senate.

The development came after Cayetano met with NBI Director Melvin Matibag to discuss the Senate’s contempt order against several NBI agents who entered the Senate premises to serve the ICC arrest warrant from the ICC to dela Rosa.—AOL, GMA News